Having been left on the roof by her savior, Winry laid out on the roof of a cold water flat. Bellow, she could hear the hustling and bustling of the tenants going about their daily affairs. It was shortly after noon, and Envy had left her some hours prior. No longer able to take refuge in the shade of the door jutting from the roof, Winry was stuck in the overwhelming gaze of the sun. The roof itself was much like an oven, and being up a few stories, Winry saw the sun less like a glowing unobtainable orb and more like a sunflower. Under its heated embrace, she found herself drawn back to the days of her childhood. She swore she could hear Alphonse laughing nearby. Soon she felt a different embrace, one of Edward, her long absent friend home from a journey. It did not occur to her that this was the lashing out of the sun, scalding her skin red.
"I'm sorry." Edward told Winry. It was words she had so longed to hear, even though they were of her own creation. Wearing a sundress, yellow and not red as was currently mandated, actuality never sunk in as she was indeed still wearing her bloodstained red garments. She slid from her seated position to the burning roof, preparing to enter a dreamy cosmos. Before she relinquished herself to her mystical visions, Winry was pulled from her desired world by a greeting. By no means was it sunset, and she feared she had been caught.
"You're looking a little red, are you okay?" asked an intruder, entering from the door Winry had been hiding behind. This intruder was by no means intimidating or hostile, and in fact, Winry thought it to be familiar. Clutching Edward's pocket watch, Winry hoped time would unravel and the name would come to mind of this person.
"Miss Rockbell, are you okay?" repeated the intruder, a woman. Winry attempted to look upon her, but found it straining, and struggled back to a seated position. Visions swirled, it was hard for Winry to make out the woman who was silhouetted by the sun.
"Winry," said this woman, putting her hand on Winry's shoulder, "are you alright? It's me, Riza Hawkeye, I'm not sure if you remember me. How long have you been up here?"
It all came into focus for Winry, well mostly, who still felt pulled into a haze. Riza took Winry by her sides and helped bring her to her feet. Head spinning for a moment, Winry allowed the dizziness to fade away.
"Where's Envy?" asked Winry, regaining her senses. Riza gave a confused look.
"Envy? I am sorry you were left up here so long; there was some misinterpretation with the one that brought you here. Because they could not get here sooner, I was called, and I'm glad I was because you seem to be dehydrated."
In a way, Winry was relieved not to be reunited with Envy. Other than the obvious, there was something about him that gave her an otherworldly feeling. Being with him was uncomfortable, and to escape another encounter would give her no remorse. Riza did not know Envy, which made Winry wonder if these were coincidental encounters or if Envy and Riza were part of some larger operation. Choosing not to voice these questions, Winry followed Riza obediently out the door. Wherever she went, Winry knew she could find allies. As Winry recalled, Riza was of the military, and exceptionally close to state alchemists. It gave Winry hope that she might be led back to Ed and Al.
"I am taking you to a place where I know you will be safe." Riza said, leading the way down the creaky wood staircase.
"With Ed and Al?" Winry asked eagerly, wishing it with all her heart to be true. Had Riza been facing Winry, and if the stairs and hallways were better lit, Winry would have seen the pained look on Ms. Hawkeye's face. A long pause took over, and then Riza sighed.
"No, I'm afraid I could not take you to the Elric brothers. I do not know where they are." She replied. Winry's heart sank. Perhaps her venture would not lead her to her friends after all. Ms. Hawkeye spoke again, this time giving Winry cause for slightly lifted spirits.
"I last saw them six months ago with Roy Mustang, my friend, you may know him. After that, they, and my friend, disappeared."
"So they are alive?"
"When I last saw them, yes."
Silence filled the void again, but it was more joyous on Winry's part, while Riza silently cried before her, going down the final steps and reaching the door.
"We must move quickly, do you understand? If anyone sees you in the state you are in, especially those of the new establishment, we could run into trouble." Instructed Riza, Winry nodded in response. Opening the door, the dim hallway was illuminated by the bright day and the rich smells of the street poured in. Riza exited and turned left, and Winry almost had to sprint to keep up. Ahead of Winry, Ms. Hawkeye walked at a steady and dignified pace. Feeling younger than her years, Winry was reminded of the times she would listen to Ms. Hawkeye's words with wonder and interest. Crossing a few intersections, Winry drew a few intrigued and worried looks, but did not stop to allow for comments.
"We're almost there." Winry heard Ms. Hawkeye say. Suddenly Ms. Hawkeye took a sharp turn into an alley, and Winry almost fell replicating the move. Walking to the back of a brick building, Riza climbed the few steps to the back door, which was unlocked. Holding it open, for Winry, Riza allowed Winry to lead this time, for there was a person clearly waiting for them. With a welcoming smile and a bag of junk and gears, this was a person Winry did not know very well, but certainly recognized.
"Hello Kain, this is my friend, Miss Winry Rockbell, she is the one I called you about." Riza said, speaking to her comrade. Kain looked to Winry and smiled.
"Hello Ms. Rockbell, I think I recall you, I am Kain Fuery." He said, adjusting his bag to one arm so he could extend an arm. Accepting it, Winry smiled.
"Nice to see you again Mr. Fuery." She said. None of them moved. They were in a back staircase, one that was intended for escaping fires, but used rarely. They had more privacy here than they might in an apartment where one always felt watched with windows and thin walls. Riza turned to Winry.
"You'll be staying with Kain for now, I'm not sure how long you will be here, but if it becomes an issue, there are many people who we could contact to take you in."
Her words struck Winry as being odd. "Contacts? People from the military?"
Kain and Riza both laughed lightly, looking to one another with a knowing gaze.
"Some," answered Riza, "but there are quite a few others who are just friends. Others are people who are friends of friends, and just people we can trust, allies."
"Is this some kind of rebellious organization?" Winry asked. Riza and Kain burst out laughing this time, attempting to lower their volume so those around would not hear. Feeling very silly for asking, Winry wore a sheepish smile.
"I like that, and I guess in a way we are. Riza and I are just people who want to survive and help our friends of like minds, if that makes us rebels, then so be It." said Kain, still wearing a smile. He was so earnest Winry felt a little less dumb. Keeping company with rebels, busting out of jail, learning her friends were possibly alive, it was quite a day for Winry.
"So you don't know the guy who saved me?" Winry asked. Both Kain and Riza shook their heads.
"I didn't even know they were a man." replied Riza. "It is all luck of the draw in that sense. When someone hears of someone else being in danger, a call is put out and help is sent that person's way."
Winry folded her arms pensively. "Then who sent the person to save me?"
Again, the shake of heads, Kain spoke this time. "We do not know. We just occasionally get messages from different people to help out with different things. A little bird in fact told me that certain people we are in contact for that bombing of the ball you may have heard on the radio."
Winry's heart caught, fearing she was now in the company of violent rebels. A part of her, knowing these people to members of the former military, did not doubt that under orders would do acts many would not even consider.
"No more time for questions on my end," said Ms. Hawkeye, "I must return to work soon, even in these times I still need a paycheck. Goodbye Winry."
"Goodbye Ms. Hawkeye."
"See you Riza."
Riza left, and though Kain did say see you, Winry got the feeling they would not be seeing her again, at least not for a great period of time. Kain did not show any stress however, and he wiggled his bag around again and looked to Winry, a little uneasy now that they were left alone.
"To my home then?" He asked. Sheepishly Winry smiled, feeling the burgeoning relationship they were forming.
"If it's of no trouble."
"Then let's go." He turned, and up the stairs they went. Winry felt giddy with ideas of the future.